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Protecting Water

If a company or municipality wants to discharge polluted water into a river or stream, they have to get a permit from the state and follow state and federal policies. Regretfully, the polluters and agencies don't always follow the law. GRN works to ensure that federal and state laws are strong and that companies and municipalities follow the law.

Every year a Dead Zone about the size of Connecticut forms at the mouth of the Mississippi River, killing sea life and impacting fish and shrimp, as well as the fishermen that depend on them. The Dead Zone is caused by nitrogen and phosphorus pollution flowing down the river from agricultural fields, animal feeding operations, sewage treatment plants and industrial facilities. GRN works with groups up and down the river to advocate for better policies and protections for the Mississippi River in order to reduce the size of the Dead Zone.

Like liquid Trojan horses, “fake lakes” serve real estate developers, but are disguised to solve practical problems like flooding or water supply. Unfortunately, Mississippi has two such projects in the works, affecting both the Pearl and the Pascagoula Rivers. In Jackson, real estate development is disguised as Pearl River flood control with the “One Lake” project. Closer to the coast, the George County government is selling a pair of recreational lakes on an important Pascagoula tributary as a “drought resiliency” project. GRN is working with our partners to oppose these destructive projects and advocate for commonsense solutions to protect our rivers and communities.